


I Need a Hero

by JehBeeEh



Series: One-Shots from Across the Multiverse [10]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Good Boyfriend Tony Stark, Loving Tony Stark, M/M, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers is a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24139627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JehBeeEh/pseuds/JehBeeEh
Summary: Steve tries to explain to his boyfriend why being a mecha pilot sounds more logical than being a red, white, and blue, tight wearing superhero.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: One-Shots from Across the Multiverse [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1656748
Comments: 41
Kudos: 106
Collections: POTS (18+) Smol Steve Appreciation Bingo





	I Need a Hero

**Author's Note:**

> For the POTS Discord Server Smol Steve Bingo Prompt: Mecha Pilot.   
> :)   
> Thanks Eve, Heather and Ven for the cheers! *Blows Kisses, a la Evans in that GIF from the server*

“Hey hun,” Tony called out as he walked into his dorm room, surprised at finding Steve still there. “I was thinking of getting pizza, what kind you in the mood for?”

He crossed the small room and went to give Steve a kiss on the cheek. Steve was wrapped in his duvet cover, the bright red a stark contrast against his pale skin. Tony could see his hands peeking out only to hold the comic book they held, the thick blanket wrapped around every other part of him up to his neck. Steve made some sort of agreeable sound and barely moved at the press of his boyfriend’s lips against his cheek; Tony noticing Steve leaning into the kiss as more habit than voluntary reaction. Tony looked at him with a quirked eyebrow for a minute, but Steve never looked up. He was completely engrossed in his comic book, his eyes moving about on the page. Tony stayed in place long enough to watch Steve turn the page without ever looking at him or away from the glossy pages between his long fingers.

“I think I’ll get that special they have with the hot peppers, pineapple and chicken, and the barbecue sauce drizzle, yeah?” Tony asked amused, knowing this should get a reaction out of Steve – he had _opinions_ about pineapple on his pizza.

“Sure babe,” Steve mumbled, lips barely moving, but his bright blue eyes roving the page in front of him.

Tony rolled his eyes affectionately, and placed the call, making sure to order Steve’s favourite along with his own. He left Steve to his reading, turning on his computer and working away at some coding for his robotics project until their food got there. Friday afternoons were the best this semester, since neither of them had classes, Steve having a full day to himself. He’d gotten ahead on his assignments, and had spent the night, much to Tony’s great pleasure, even if it made getting out of bed harder that morning.

The smell of pizza seemed to finally snap Steve out of his reading trance and he blinked up as Tony was setting down a plate for him. “Hey, when did you get back?” Steve asked, blinking rapidly as he looked around for his phone.

“I’ve been here for about an hour, said hi and everything. Even got you to agree to pineapple on pizza. Wish I had that on video. Barnes is never going to believe me!” Tony replied with a grin as he served his own plate and sat down.

“Ha ha, very funny,” Steve mocked him as he got up, pulling the duvet along with him to the table.

“I wish I was kidding. You were really into that comic.” Tony took a bite of his pizza, moaning at the perfect combination of salty, spicy and sweet hitting his tongue, as Steve wrinkled his nose.

“Oh my god, how you can eat fruit on your pizza is beyond me. Seriously, Tony!” Steve finally exclaimed.

“There’s my adorably opinionated boyfriend. And, do I need to remind you that tomatoes are a fruit? So there is basically fruit sauce all over-“

“Don’t start with that,” Steve laughed as he cut him off, letting one of his arms out enough to grab his own piece. “Anyways, I forgot I had packed it before coming over, and I found it this morning in my bag after I got out of the shower. Guess I got sucked into it more than I thought,” Steve answered sheepishly.

“What’s it about?” Tony asked, taking another bite of his pizza, suppressing a laugh as Steve shook his head when he popped a piece of pineapple covered in cheese in his mouth.

“It’s from that series I’d been reading a few months back, with the giant robots that are controlled by people?”

“Is it the Gundam ones? It sounded cool when you were talking about it last time,” Tony recalled, remembering how enthusiastic Steve had been when he’d found the series on one of their outings to a bookfair of some sort. Steve had bought everything they’d had at the time, realizing once they’d gotten back on campus that a few of the newer editions were missing. Tony had found them on a specialized online comic store and ordered them for Steve.

“Yeah, it’s the rest of that series, they came in a couple weeks ago, but I was busy with that portrait class project, and hadn’t gotten around to reading it. Found an interesting series too when I was searching for more like those ones. Kinda like a civil war between us and Canada. I ordered the first one to see what it’s about,” Steve added between his own bites of pizza.

They ate quietly for a few minutes, both of them realizing they were hungrier than they’d realized. “You never told me why you like those comics so much,” Tony finally said, not completely asking, but leaving it open for Steve.

The mound of covers engulfing Steve’s small frame shifted in what Tony could only assume was a shrug, as he finished chewing his bit. “I dunno… I guess- it’s just nice to imagine being a superhero, you know?” Steve replied simply.

“Yeah but, those are machines, not superhero _people_. I don’t know… seems different, somehow?” Tony asked, trying to understand why the sudden switch in Steve’s regular reading pattern.

“True, but this is easier to imagine. For me, anyways.” Steve looked down at his plate, poking around at a piece of pepperoni that had fallen there. “It’s just… It’s really hard to imagine a little guy like me as some big, strong, _traditional_ superhero. I’m never going to be that guy that can outrun and knock down enemies with his bare hands. But, in one of those robots… I could be. I could make a difference, and help people, and be a superhero.” His eyes stayed on his plate for a beat, and he took as deep a breath as his lungs would allow. He finally looked up to Tony with a wistful look in his eyes, and a small smile. “It’s easier to get lost in the fantasy of being a Mecha Pilot than it is to imagine myself as Captain America.”

Tony couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He looked at Steve for a moment, truly unsure what to say. “What are you talking about?”

“I thought you of all people would get the appeal of robots instead of humans. Look, just never mind, it’s really stupid okay? Let's just drop it.” Steve shook his head and gathered up the covers again before settling back on the bed.

“While I do love robots, and absolutely see their appeal, we are not just dropping _this_ ,” Tony stood up and made short work of crossing the small space. He plopped himself on the bed in front of Steve, looking at him with such an earnest expression Tony made him blush. “Steve, how did we meet?”

An eyebrow shot up over confused blue eyes as Steve looked at him. “You know how we met,” he answered back simply.

“Remind me. How did we meet?” Tony prompted him again, gently.

Steve sighed, seeing where this was going. “You were about to get mugged, and I stepped in.”

Tony rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Some assholes cornered me in a dark, dead end alley, cause they’d figured out I was Tony Stark and thought they could make a quick buck off my wallet, gave me a black eye in the process, and all 90lbs of you soaking wet jumped at the chance to fight some bullies. That were twice your size. And outnumbered us, even after Barnes finally found us!”

“That is exactly what I said,” Steve answered petulantly.

“Just because you don’t have an 8-pack and muscles that have muscles of their own like Captain America, doesn’t mean you aren’t worth 10 of him in heart, Steve.” Tony cupped his jaw, rubbing his cheek with his thumb. “It’s not the muscles, or the shield, or the gadgets – not even giant robot machines – that make a person a superhero. It’s what’s inside. And you, have that in spades. It never fails to astonish me.”

Steve looked up at Tony from under a fan of lashes, blushing lightly. “I see what you’re trying to do there, but it won’t work.”

Tony smiled playfully. “Oh yeah? What _am_ I trying to do, Rogers?” He started tugging at the duvet, moving it around to try to get to Steve underneath. “How is there so much of this thing, the bed is barely a double, for fuck’s sake,” Tony mumbled as he pulled and shifted the cover around.

When he finally managed to remove the duvet covering Steve, he cheered triumphantly, making Steve giggle. He pressed himself into Steve’s space, bringing their lips together as Steve’s small frame slotted itself perfectly against Tony’s body. Tony lay Steve down on his bed, never breaking contact. The feeling of Steve’s lithe frame underneath him, a sharp contrast to how hungrily he was kissing Tony; as always being the first to lick the other’s lips to request access with his tongue, always wanting more, never afraid to ask or show what he wanted. Tony let himself be pulled in closer by Steve’s insistent hands behind his neck and on his back, his legs hooked over Tony’s own. He may have been smaller than Tony in size, but he knew how to use every part of himself to get exactly what he wanted, especially in bed. And boy, had Tony loved it when he had found that out.

Tony finally pulled back for a breath, Steve whining out a protest. Tony gave him a quick peck on the nose before rolling off of Steve and next to him, his head resting on one hand, while his other traced a line along Steve’s hairline, down his jaw, following his long neck. He let his hand wrap around to cradle Steve’s head, pulling him towards him for a slow, tender kiss. “You are perfect to me, Steve,” Tony whispered against his lips, brushing their noses sweetly together.

Steve let himself fall back against the pillow underneath him, his legs tangled with Tony’s. “I appreciate the sentiment, but even you can’t deny that having Captain America as your boyfriend would be fun,” he mused, a smirk on his lips.

“Oh please, even _you’d_ like that. Don’t tell me you haven’t dreamt of bossing Cap around in bed,” Tony sassed him, making Steve bite his lower lip as he considered the option. Tony laughed before leaning down for another kiss, Steve’s hands framing his face perfectly as they came up to hold him in place for longer than Tony had originally accounted for.

“Seriously though,” Tony continued when Steve let him go. “I know we’re just shit talking, but it’s true Steve. You don’t have to be 6 feet something and have the shoulder to waist ratio of a Dorito to be a superhero. Every time you speak up for people that need it, whether there’s a verbal exchange or a fist fight at the end, you’re being someone’s hero. And that day we met? You were mine. And you haven’t stopped since.”

Steve curled himself against Tony’s chest, his head tucked under his chin. Tony knew he was embarrassed and shy whenever they had this talk, and this was his way to avoid responding. Tony also knew he’d tell him repeatedly, over and over, even though he knew Steve did believe him deep down. He buried his face in Steve’s soft blond hair for a minute, holding him tight.

“Who knows, maybe someday, I can build you one of those giant robots if you still feel like you need one. Dum-E’s coming along okay enough.” Tony smiled as he heard Steve chuckle against him.

Steve pulled back, resting his head on the pillow again, and looked up at Tony. “Thank you. For believing in me,” he told him, his eyes filled with love and tenderness.

“Thanks for being my superhero.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, gotta admit, this was kinda fun to write. Didn't go as far into small Steve as I probably could have, but still fun :)
> 
> Thanks Ven for getting me on the bandwagon ;)


End file.
